title: Application of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry for discrimination of Escherichia strains possessing highly conserved ribosomal RNA gene sequences.
abstract: We evaluated the capability of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to discriminate twelve Escherichia strains: E. blattae, E. fergusonii, E. hermanii and nine E. coli, whose ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence homologies are in the range of 96-100%. Similarities obtained by MALDI-TOF MS were found to be 78-92% among the E. coli strains, and 74% between E. coli and E. fergusonii. E. blattae and E. hermanii showed only 32% similarity when compared to the other species. Thus, MALDI-TOF MS provides capability of distinguishing bacterial species or even strains possessing highly conserved rRNA gene sequences.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Musashino University, Nishitokyo, Tokyo 202–8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muroi
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.forename: Yasuyoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanamoto
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013045:Species Specificity; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial